Cinco de Mayo a subdued celebration here

In mid-September the Legislative Lawn in front of the state capital building comes alive with music, food, children's laughter and native dance groups for Mexican Independence Day.

Monday, on Cinco De Mayo, the lawn's grass stood listing in the wind, untrammeled.

The fifth of May, the celebration of a Mexican victory in the war against the French on May 5, 1862, has become what one Latino Carson resident called, "the Corona holiday."

Widely anticipated and embraced by the gringo community as a rite of spring and an excuse to drink Margaritas in excess, Cinco de Mayo celebrations by Latino residents in Carson City were few, if not nonexistent Monday.

Evangelina Velasco, who owns Taqueria la Guadalupana on Carson Street on the south side of town, presided over a handful of late lunch customers Monday afternoon.

She said the restaurant would be open regular dinner hours Monday, but she was busy in preparation for another celebration to kick off next week " Mother's Day brunch.

"Sure, (Cinco de Mayo) is a big holiday " of sorts," she said. "I'm sure there's things going on in Reno. But here, maybe it's the economy, but I don't think the Latino (community) is doing a whole lot. "It's an important day, but there are others."

At WNC Monday, a group of students who recently formed the school's first Latino club offered Costco pizza for lunch and a sign-up sheet for the club in the lounge of the school's Bristlecone building.

The meeting, organizers said, just happened to coincide with Cinco De Mayo.

"We really didn't think about it in advance," said club co-organizer and nursing student Nohemi Guzman. "Cinco de Mayo is a big holiday of sorts, for some. But I think it's become associated with a big party for some.

"We're here today to promote a club not just for Latino students, but for all (international) students. It's just something we got started and we happened to host this (lunch) today."

Club organizer Maria Navarette laughed self-effacingly at the clubs' choice of offering pizza on a day usually reserved for a Mexican-themed chow down.

"Pizza is a good food to offer to get people to come over and check out what we're doing," she said. "We really didn't realize this meeting (coincided) with Cinco de Mayo."

club member Yesenia Fuentes said it's important that the Latino community honor the battle that led to the day's celebration, but suggested that doing so in a quiet manner was a good approach.

"I think like a lot of holidays, they take on (new) meaning," she said.

While local bars rolled out Pacifico banners and Mexican-themed food and drink specials, for patrons eager to soak in a little sun and have a post-Monday cocktail hour, the mood was also similarly subdued in at least one local watering hole.

"We have tacos on special this month " but this really isn't our biggest holiday," said Bully's Carson manager Serena Jones. "It may get a little busier tonight. I'm not sure, this is my first year at this (restaurant)."